Valve construction



Jan. 13, 1959 G. E. LUCKS 2,868,219

VALVE CONSTRUCTION Filed July 21 1955 INVENTOR. GUSTAV E. LUC/(i ArrOEA/EXB United States Patent VALVE CONSTRUCTION Gustav E. Lucks, Greenfield Park, N. Y.

Application July 21, 1955, Serial No. 523,534

3 Claims. (Cl. 137197) This invention relates to a novel valve construction, more particularly an improved air release valve for the radiators and pipe lines of hot water heating system.

In the use of conventional central heating systems employing closed systems for the conduction of a heated medium from a centrally located furnace to the various parts of the building structure to be heated, diificulties are engendered due to the accumulation of air within the closed system when it is cool. Upon heating, pockets of dead cold air prevent the transmission of the heating medium through the system. Thus in the conventional hot water system, where hot water, heated in a centrally located boiler is employed as the heating medium, and is transmitted through the structure to be heated by means of pipes leading to radiators positioned at spaced intervals, the accumulation of air in the radiators and the piping prevents the passage of hot water therethrough. Provision of valves in the heating system to permit the passage of this accumulated air to the atmosphere serves to facilitate the passage of the heating medium through the system. It is further desirable to provide some means whereby the amount of heat distributed by the system is controllable. It is found that where the release of air is controlled, the amount of heated medium passing through the control point may also be regulated. Thus valving provided in a radiator for the passage of air therefrom may be employed to regulate the amount of heated medium passing through the radiator. These valves must be so designed as to prevent the passage of fluid therethrough so that none of the heated medium will be lost, in the case of conventional closed hot water systems. As is the case with all valves, it is desirable to have as rapid as possible a change between closed and open position.

It is with the above problems in mind that the present construction has been evolved, a construction providing an improved valve structure for use in hot water heating systems serving to permit the escape of air from said systems, with no attendant loss of heating medium. The rapidly responding valve also functions to regulate the amount of heating medium passing through the system and present in any radiator whereby the heat provided at any specific point of the system may be controlled.

It is accordingly a primary object of this invention to provide a novel valve structure.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved automaticair release valve for use in conjunction with closed central heating systems.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved valve structure which will permit air to pass therethrough, but not liquids.

A still further object is to provide a valve which rapidly changes from open to closed position.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a novel air release valve for use in conjunction with heating systems which will serve to permit regulation of the heat provided at any point in said system.

2,868,219 Fatentedl Jan. 13, 1959 become apparent from the following disclosure and claims are achieved by provision of a valve comprising a casing having an inlet port and an outlet port formed therein. The outlet port remains open to the atmosphere, while the inlet port is suitably coupled preferably by means of a nipple adapted for connection either to a pipe line or radiator. Within the casing, moisture absorbing valve members in the shape of washers (circular discs, centrally apertured) are provided. Interspersed between these valve washers are similarly shaped non-moisture absorbing washers which function to provide a drying surface whereby said absorbing discs may readily be dried when no moisture is present. A screen is provided in the inlet port to prevent any corrosion, scales or sedimentation from passing from the heating system. About the body of the casing a collar having spaced apertures of different sizes is loosely positioned whereby turning of the collar may serve to change the area of the outlet port.

The specific construction details, and the mode of functioning, of a preferred embodiment of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the following specification taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein:

Figure 1 represents an elevational view of an air release valve constructed in accordance with the principles Figure 5 is a perspective view of the herein disclosedv improved air release valve.

Referring now in greater detail to the drawings Where like reference numerals in the various figures designate like parts, the reference numeral it) designates the improved valve.

This vaive Ill comprises a casing 11 here illustrated as cylindrical in shape but obviously capable of being made in any other suitable shape. An upper closure 12 seals off the upper end of the casing, and a lower closure 13 preferably of hexagonal shape to facilitate gripping by a wrench or the like tool is provided at the lower end of the casing. inlet port 14 is formed in lower closure 13 of the casing and outlet port 15 is formed in the casing body. A nipple 16 is secured to the lower end of the casing about inlet port 1 This nipple though here illustrated as externally threaded may be internally threaded or otherwise provided with means for coupling the valve to the pipes or radiators of a heating system.

A screen 17 is positioned in inlet port 114 so as to preclude the passage of any solid particle to said valve casing 11. Within the casing are provided 'valve members lit in the shape of apertured discs or washers. They are of a material such as fibre, which is moisture absorbing and expands on absorption of moisture. Interspersed between the washer valves iii are non-absorb ing washers 19 which provide a drying surface for said valves.

A collar Ztl is movably mounted about the outer wall of casing 11 and secured against lateral slipping on casing it by means of extensions on closures 12 and 13 as .clearlyseeninthe drawings. This collar 20 is provided with a series of spaced apertures 21 of varying size. These apertures are illustrated as of circular cross sectioIb-buhmay obviously be made in any other shape.

They are;ofgprogressivelyrxdecreasing diameter diminish-.1

ing in size'from thatofcthe exhaust port 15.

Operation In operation where it is desired-tofacilitate the operatron. of a central heatingsystenremploying hot water as the heatmg medium, it is desirable to provide some means for the escape. of air trapped in said closed system. This is most readily accomplished by attaching the above'disport 15 of said casing. When water reaches the valve 'the valve members 18 in absorbing moisture expand andclose off the exhaust port thus precluding the passage of liquid therethrough. It Will be observed that the interspersed nona-bsorbing washers 19 serve to facilitate drying of said absorbing washer valve by virtue of the fact that they provide a drying surface when water is no longer in said system, as during cooling. The rate of flow of air through said valve determines the rate of flow of hot water through the system. This flow is obviously dependent on the cross sectional area of the exhaust port. The port area may be varied by simple manual rotation of the collar to bring an aperture of said smaller cross section than said port into alignment therewith.

This regulation is of great importance particularly in thermostatically controlled heating systems since it per mits the area where the thermostat is located to be kept at a temperature such that other heating areas are not affected by irregular thermostat operation.

It is thus seen that a novel air release valve has been provided which serves to permit ready regulation of theheat provided by hot water systems without repairing, use of screw drivers or the like, and which rapidly changes from a closed to open position.

The above disclosure is given by way of illustration and elucidation and not by way of limitation and it is Valves desiredto .protect allembodiments of the hereindisclosed inventive concept within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A valve permitting the passage of gases and not liquids therethrough, said valve comprising a casing having an outlet port, a threaded nipple connected to one end of said casing and having an inlet port, a sliding member having apertures mounted to slide over said outlet port and change the effective' area thereof; and moisture absorbing valve meanswithinsaid casing-interposed between said inlet and outlet and adapted to expand when coming in contact with liquids thereby closingsaidoutlet.

2. An air release. valve for .hot water .heating systems, said valve comprising: a casing closed save for an inlet port and outlet port; a plurality of valve members in said casing, said members being of a moisture absorbent and expanding material; non-absorbing members interspersed between said valve members; and with said valve members filling said casing; a screen in theinlet portuwithin said casing;- and an apertured slidable member on the outside of said casing circu-mjacently mounted: to slide over said outlet port and change the effective area thereof.

3. An air release valve for hot water heating systems,.. said valve comprising: a cylindrical casinghaving an opening in a sidewall thereof; a .topclosure sealing the. top of said casing; a bottom closure havingian inlet port: therein sealing thebottomof said casing; a screen in said inlet port within. said casing; a coupling extending from 1 said inlet port andadapted for attachment to a heating system; a pluralityof apertured disc shaped washer valves of water absorbing material in said casing; a plurality of non-absorbing washers between said valves; and a collar movably circurnjacently mounted about said casing having different apertures of a size progressively smallerthan the opening insaid casingsidewall, whereby the effective.

area of said opening may be varied.

References Cited in thefile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,365,768 Cotton et al Ian. 18, 1921' 2,188,441 Magee 12112.30, 1940" 2,497,139 Rumbaugh Feb.'14, 1950" 2,654,385 Grosvenor Oct. 6, 1953" 2,723,676 Thrush Nov. 15, 1955' FOREIGN PATENTS 507,240 GreatBritain June 12, 1939* 

